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Cumby’s Justin Demidio breaks a tackle in the Trojans 41-8 loss to the Maud Cardinals Friday. Demidio had a pair of strong runs early but was unable to finish the game. Staff photo by Todd Kleiboer
CUMBY- The Cumby Trojans hosted the 4-2 Maud Cardinals Friday, looking to pick up their first win of the season. With just three games remaining on their schedule after this week, the Trojans were hoping to get a win and spark their late season turnaround.
Cumby got the ball first to open the game and immediately picked up a first down that put them inside Maud territory. Unfortunately penalties pushed them back, and they ended up turning the ball over on downs, giving Maud the ball at the 50-yard line to start.
The Cardinals’ opening drive looked like it wouldn’t be going anywhere, thanks to a sack from Dakota Ridings that pushed them back. Having to go for it on fourthand-10, Maud not only got the first down but went 50 yards to the end zone, taking a 7-0 lead with 6:34 left to play in the first quarter.
Cumby tried to answer back with a drive of their own but struggled to get anything going and turned the ball over on downs again. Maud had the ball and a chance to push their lead to two scores, before Cumby’s Germarray Weatherall came up with a huge fumble recovery, giving the Trojans the ball on their own 46-yard line.
Looking to capitalize on the momentum, the
Trojans handed the ball to Logan Butler on the opening play of the drive. Butler broke off the longest run of the day, going 54 yards for a Cumby touchdown. The Trojans converted the two-point conversion to take an 8-7 lead late in the first quarter.
Unfortunately for Cumby, that was the last time they would see the end zone for the remainder of the game. Maud scored three different times in the second quarter, including a touchdown with just two seconds left, pushing their lead to 27-8 at the end of the first half.
Maud got the ball to open the second half and needed just four plays to find the end zone again, doing so in less than two minutes. Capping the drive off with a three-yard touchdown run, Maud took a 34-8 lead early in the third quarter.
With 10:16 left in the third quarter, Cumby got the ball and put together their longest drive of the night. The Trojans used the entire rest of the frame but eventually turned the ball over on downs after getting as close as the Maud 15-yard line.
The Cardinals returned with a nine-minute drive of their own, scoring on an 11-yard run from their quarterback to bring the game to its final score of 41-8.
The loss drops Cumby to 0-5 on the season and 0-2 in district play. Cumby is tied with Detroit at 0-2 in district play, trailing a pair of teams who are 1-1 and another pair of teams who are 2-0.
The Trojans are back in action Friday night with a road game against 1-1 Clarksville which is set for 7:30 p.m.